D-Y looking to continue domination

By George Kostinas

Wednesday

Sep 5, 2018 at 9:45 AMSep 5, 2018 at 9:45 AM

For both teams it is one of the two or three biggest games of the season.

While the season’s opener is always a big game, this Friday’s matchup between Dennis-Yarmouth and Barnstable at Leo Shields Field in Barnstable has an added crosstown, Cape Cod rivalry excitement to it with a bit of an edge.

“It’s the first game of the year, so everybody’s excited anyway. And in this case Barnstable is the next town over and we play them in every sport, so it’s definitely exciting for everybody,” said D-Y head coach, Paul Funk.

“This is going to be huge in terms of getting the whole town out. The stadium is going to be packed with a whole new beginning to this team,” said first-year Barnstable head coach Ross Jatkola.

In the last few years the game has turned into something of a grudge match with the winner earning bragging rights for the next year, and the Dolphins have enjoyed that right for the last five years.

Only a few years ago the Dennis-Yarmouth vs. Barnstable game was the must-see match with wildly competitive games decided by one point three times, and by less than nine points three other times.

But recently D-Y has dominated, winning five in a row by an average margin of 24 points, including last season’s 49-14 blowout over the Red Raiders.

The Dolphins had a great team last year, going 13-0 en route to winning the state championship. The last time Barnstable beat D-Y was in 2012, 55-14, as the Red Raiders went on to the Division 1 Super Bowl that year losing to Everett by just one point, 20-19.

However, since 2006 when D-Y and Barnstable began playing each other every year again, D-Y has gone 9-3. The once underdog Dolphins—their 16-7 win in 2006 was the first time they had beaten Barnstable since 1960--have now emerged as the overwhelming favorite.

Although D-Y has several big-play skill players returning, almost the entire starting line from last year’s team graduated and coaches know that games are won by the big guys in the trenches.

“We’re a different team from the last few years. But the preseason has gone well. They’re a good group of kids. They’re hard working,” said Funk.

“It’s hard to simulate game reps (in the preseason and in practices), so you’re never really prepared for everything that gets thrown at you the first week. We’re trying to get everyone on the same page to do the best we can in the first game.”

D-Y’s big play guys all seemed to be working together in its last scrimmage last Saturday against Silver Lake. In a game format scrimmage, the Dolphins rolled over Silver Lake 52-0 as quarterback Payton Doyle threw for four touchdowns and ran for another.

Doyle was the backup quarterback last season but he played halfback and slot receiver and anywhere else D-Y needed him.

“He’s a big, strong kid. He can throw it. He’s a good athlete who can do a bunch of stuff,” said Funk.

Sophomore Geoffrey Jamiel is a shifty and very, very speedy wide out who started last year as a freshman. Against Silver Lake he caught passes of 55 yards, 34 yards and 60 yards to go along with his three touchdown receptions.

Also returning from last year’s championship team is Daryan Thompson who can play running back, wide receiver and cornerback or safety on defense. He also returns punts and kicks.

The Dolphins defense features four pretty good linebackers: Jack Tierney, Magnus Orava, Pat O’Neill and Michael Gurney. And the defensive line of Pat Anderson, Andrew Campbell, Tyler Doyle and Morad Kanel has gotten better throughout the preseason.

Funk never takes anything for granted, and although his Dolphins appear to be looking at another easy win this year, he said it is going to be a tougher game than in the past.

However, Jatkola, is hoping that the underdog wins again. Jatkola has infused the Barnstable program with a sense of excitement, committed to building a new winning tradition.

Jatkola is a D-Y graduate, who was a junior when Funk first arrived as the Dolpins’ coach. After graduating from the University of Albany, where he played four years and started at tight end his junior and senior years, he returned to D-Y as an assistant coach for several years. But now there is nothing he’d like more than to beat his alma mater and end that five-game winning streak.

“I have a lot of close relationships with the community, their coaching staff and the kids who play there,” said Jatkola. “So this game means a lot to me. It’s a different feeling, but its extra special for me because of that connection.”

And the team is feeling a sense of urgency as well.

“Just look at them. When you say, ‘D-Y,’ they get a look in their eyes,” said Jatkola.

The team has had a good preseason, working harder than they have in the past and Jatkola said it is paying off.

“They are starting to feel more confident. They know they can beat anyone on Cape Cod and they should feel that way,” he said.

Like D-Y, Barnstable has a number of very good returning players in the skill positions led by senior quarterback Matt Petercuskie.

As a junior Peter Cuskie was outstanding even though he was still learning the game.

He is now bigger and stronger, but more important, a knowledgeable player who makes good decision under pressure.

“He’s definitely our leader of the group. He’s smart. He controls the offense,” Jatkola said. “He’s like another coach on the field.”

Brian Frieh is a junior running back who was injured for a lot of last season, but when he returned, he definitely made an impact in the running game.

He is fast and a very hard runner who can break tackles and even run guys over.

“If we want to control the ball, he’s got to have a huge game,” said Jatkola.

Senior Conner Baldasaro played last year, but has really emerged as a player who can make the big plays both on offense and defense.

He is tall and long and can run and jump making him an ideal wide receiver and defensive back.

“It’s tremendous just looking at him,” said Jatkola. “He’s been working hard. He’s our Number 1 target. And after the scrimmages he worked himself into the defense and he’ll return punts and kicks.”

The offensive line is led by Declan Moriarty, who as a sophomore last year started every game. He is big and strong and has had a very good summer and preseason of conditioning.

Joe Yalmokas, who played guard and center last year, will once again be counted on for his versatility.

“He can play center, guard or tackle. He is going to have to play a lot of reps for us on offense,” Jatkola said.

On the defensive side, Harry Lanman, who played a lot in the second half of last season, has been very impressive at linebacker. Matt Turner is another player who is very tough and will join Lanman in the line backing group. Matt Fredo is another player who got a lot of experience last year and has been very good in the secondary this preseason. Osmin Rodrigues, close to the ground, but quick and aggressive will be in the middle of defensive line.